July 1, 2008

A fine night for dancing

Dancin’ on the Avenue brings out the people

By Carol Rosen
Editor

Willow Glen’s Lincoln Avenue was crowded with dancers, kids and people out for a good time on Saturday, June 14 for the 13th annual Dancin’ on the Avenue.

Willow Glen’s Lincoln Avenue was crowded with dancers and fun-seekers on June 14 for the 13th annual Dancin’ on the Avenue event. The Joe Sharino Band was a big hit, as usual. Photos by Carol Rosen

It was a great night if you like music, dancing, food and people. And there were lots of people--the crowd was estimated at more than 35,000 while the sales generated more than $40,000 for the Willow Glen Business Association to keep streets clean, safe and landscaped and providing extra revenues in taxes for the city of San Jose.

Most of the people, despite the crush, found ways to dance or just listen to the bands. As usual, the Joe Sharino Band drew a large crowd at the Stevens Building Lot. It was also hard to move within the crowd where Ryze The Band was performing on the stage at Brace and Lincoln. The Silicon Valley House Rockers greeted crowds at the Minnesota end of Lincoln. Many residents brought chairs and left open space between the stage and those listening so that dancers had plenty of room early on. New this year was Mamaluke, which played from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Jamba Juice Stage.

Last year’s VIP Center, which was a big hit, again provided front-row seats to the Joe Sharino Band and treated guests to food and drinks donated by WGBA members and served by the Willow Glen Kiwanis Club. Comerica Bank members handed out gifts and wine to the event sponsors and civic dignitaries. Everyone seemed to have a good time and there was even room for dancing.

The Kids’ Court, sponsored by Tim Casey Construction, was filled with children and their families watching the entertainment on the Community Stage or playing games to raise money for the YMCA. The Kids Court was even bigger and more crowded than last year and featured a separate area across the street for face painting and artwork. Many of the booths were run by community organizations or nonprofits to raise funds. These include the Willow Glen Foundation, Willow Glen Children’s Theatre, Cadette Girl Scout Troop 779, Sacred Heart Community Service, Teen Save Cove and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The area was buzzing with volunteers, kids and their parents. There also was entertainment on the Community Stage with various dance schools showing off their very talented students.

Tempting smells in the air met the food needs of anyone looking for burgers to popcorn to kabobs. Booths were manned by employees of Casa Blanca, Mojo Burger, Pizza My Heart, Round Table Pizza, Taiwan Restaurant, Willow Street Pizza, Willow Glen Yogurt and others. Local bars and restaurants also seated large crowds, many of whom couldn’t wait to sit down and relax.

The headline sponsor of this year’s event was Peak Travel Group with Joey Jam Productions, F. Rodgers Corporation and Kitchen Experts of California the entertainment sponsors and Bottomley Distribution Company sponsoring the beverages. Corporate sponsors included Wells Fargo, American Laser Centers Logo, Comerica Bank, Washington Mutual, Bank of America, Valley Credit Union, Aqui’s Cal-Mex, Chiropractic First, Juan Mario’s Generations Hair Salon, Equitas Capital, Willow Glen Ace Hardware, Genesis Stoneworks, Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley, The Art of TV: Custom Flat Panel Fasjopms and A<+PM Mobile Digital Billboards.

Willow Glen Business Association was formed in 1984 in response to the formation of the Willow Glen Business Improvement District. Its purpose is to make Willow Glen’s downtown a desirable destination to shop, eat and locate a business by engaging in the maintenance and beautification of downtown Willow Glen; the promotion of a positive identity for the business community through advertising, public relations, sponsorships, events and festivals; the improvement of business conditions with strong advocacy; and the preservation of the historic and architectural character of downtown Willow Glen. The Willow Glen Business Association meets the second Tuesday of each month, from 8 to 10 a.m. Call 408-298-2100 or go to www.downtownwillowglen.org for more information.